2024 Olympic Games race hots up as Ben Shelton leads US spots for Paris after Japan Open win

The race for the 2024 Olympic Games is heating up after America’s Ben Shelton won the Japan Open.

The 21-year-old defeated Russia’s Aslan Karatsev in the final of the competition in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 6-1.

With that win, Shelton is now leading the race for a spot in the Olympics. He added 500 points after a win in Tokyo which makes him the leading American player in the race for a spot in the mega-event.

He is now leading the likes of fellow countrymen Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Sebastian Korda.

It is important to note that only a maximum of four players can participate from a country in the mega-event which is set to take place in Paris next summer.

Shelton is often regarded as one of the best young talent around in men’s singles tennis along with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Italy’s Jannik Sinner.

He showcased his talent in the recently concluded US Open where he managed to qualify for the semifinal of the event.

However, his journey ended there as he lost to the current world number one and legendary Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 6-2, 7-6.